New York (Web Desk): United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed his heartfelt sorrow over the devastating flash floods that recently struck parts of Pakistan and India, claiming hundreds of lives.
In a message shared through his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, on Sunday, Guterres conveyed his condolences and offered the UN’s support in the aftermath of the tragedy.
“The Secretary-General offers his sincere condolences to the victims’ families and stands in solidarity with those affected by this disaster,” said the statement. Guterres also emphasized the UN’s readiness to step in with help if needed, adding, “We stand ready to provide assistance should it be requested.”
The floods have left a significant toll in Pakistan’s northwest, with more than 300 people reported dead following two consecutive days of torrential rainfall.
The hardest-hit areas were in the remote and mountainous regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where extreme weather events—such as cloudbursts, flash floods, landslides, and lightning—have combined to create one of the deadliest rainstorms of the current monsoon season.
This is not the first time that the UN chief has acknowledged the impact of severe flooding in Pakistan.
In September 2022, he made a visit to the country to witness the aftermath of catastrophic floods that had swept through Sindh and Balochistan provinces. That disaster claimed more than 1,300 lives and left millions of people displaced across the country.
The current situation echoes the scale of previous calamities and has once again brought international attention to the vulnerability of these regions to extreme weather events intensified by climate change.